Reeling 49ers still can't measure up to Chiefs as Super Bowl hangover extends

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Never mind revenge. The 49ers are still trying to get over a massive Super Bowl hangover.

Leave it to Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs to remind them of the task.

San Francisco (3-4) came up short again in the rematch of Super Bowl 58, falling 28-18 at Levi’s Stadium to not only dip below .500 but also illuminate just how difficult it will be to make another legitimate run at a championship.

No, the 49ers wouldn’t be the first team to stumble the year after losing a Super Bowl. History suggests that’s more the rule than the exception.

Yet you can’t blame San Francisco from wondering just how many more blows its once-prolific offense must endure. On Sunday, it suddenly became a lot tougher to avenge the Super Bowl setback after the 49ers lost their top two receivers – Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk.

Samuel’s status was shaky before the game, when it was revealed that he was suffering with an illness. He tried to push through but lasted just three plays in the first quarter. Aiyuk left late in the second quarter after suffering a knee injury as he took a crushing hit while finishing a completion over the middle.

This, after Jauan Jennings was ruled out with a hip injury that kept him out of practices last week. And the unit has been without Christian McCaffrey all season as he rehabs an Achilles heel injury.

The depleted supporting cast undoubtedly increased the pressure on 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy. And that was not a good thing. Purdy threw three interceptions, including a pick in the end zone by rookie safety Jaden Hicks in the fourth quarter that doused San Francisco’s hope for a comeback.

In any event, the 49ers can look no further to the Chiefs (6-0) for a model in dealing with adversity. Kansas City’s offense has been decimated by injuries, too. Starting wideout Marquise “Hollywood” Brown (shoulder) hasn’t played all season. The other starting receiver, Rashee Rice, suffered a season-ending knee injury. Running back Isiah Pacheco is out for an extended period with an ankle injury.

On Sunday, the Chiefs played the bulk of the game without receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, who aggravated a hamstring injury.

Yet the Chiefs, as they have all season, kept finding ways and weapons to win. Mahomes set up a touchdown in the third quarter with an amazing, career-long 33-yard run that came with a sleight-of-hand pump-fake and stutter-step juke along the sideline. Speedy receivers Mecole Hardman and Xavier Worthy made big plays off jet sweeps. Noah Gray, the No. 2 tight end, led the team with 66 receiving yards on four catches.

Andy Reid’s team was rather resourceful. Hardman set up a score with a 65-yard punt return. The defense continued its dominance, keeping the heat on Purdy (36.7 passer rating) and shutting down another productive running back in Jordan Mason (14 rushes, 58 yards), who entered the game ranked second in the NFL in rushing.

It may not have been pretty for the Chiefs. But it was effective. Again. The Chiefs are the NFL’s only undefeated team. And they haven’t lost to the 49ers, either, with Mahomes as Kansas City’s quarterback (5-0).

And somehow, the Chiefs came into the rematch as the underdog.

Well, that projection didn’t hold up. And it didn’t even come down to a coin toss.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 49ers still can't measure up to Chiefs as Super Bowl hangover extends